Why did feminists want an Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s?

May 5, 2014 by Karen Hill | Filed Under: History

In her autobiography, Congresswoman Bella Abzug summarized the two main benefits of the ERA: “First, laws that confer benefits of one kind or another will be extended to both sexes. Second, laws that restrict opportunities would be declared unconstitutional.”

Abzug mentioned, for example, that at the time many married women could not get credit on their own because all property was in the husband’s name.

Also, women could not get certain jobs because they were not allowed to lift heavy weights or work overtime.